The Legend of Zelda: The Sacred Trinity
by Scott Schuyler
Summary: A boy, brought up as a slave, soon finds out there is more than living a life of servitude. Can this boy be the link to fullfilling an ancient prophecy?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** _The Legend of Zelda_ title and all the respective characters are properties of Nintendo inc. in Japan. I, in no way, own or claim to own the copyright to any of Nintendo's _The Legend of Zelda,_ even though it may sometimes seem I do. I am just a big fan, and as such, any _new_ characters and names I introduce to the series in this story are copyrighted to me, because I may or may not have used them before in games I have played. I have also decided to copyright the storyline to me as well. The storyline includes anything that isn't copyrighted to Nintendo.

**Author's note:** This chapter is the prologue and many Zelda fans don't need to read this, but throughout the story Zelda fans may see me trying to link together the series in its entirety. The prologue contains one of my "theories" or "explanations." I am also always welcome to feedback and update often, so if you feel the story line isn't progressing fast enough or that I haven't addressed a certain inconsistency you've seen in the series, let me know. If there is also anything you would like to see mentioned in the story (i.e. Zelda sunbathing in a tight bikini, or a monster you've seen in older Zeldas but not new ones) feel free to add input on what you suggest I put into the story. Thank you.

**Prologue **

Somewhere out there, in another galaxy, exists a planet. This planet is named Hyrule. Much like Earth, Hyrule is mostly made of water, with seasons, fresh vegetation, and people. Its technology, though, is medieval at best, and there exists the power of magic. The difference between Hyrule and Earth is its resources. There, they cannot mine the same minerals as Earth, and many different species rein the planet. The people of Hyrule, however, are content with their lifestyle. They don't know of any other way.

In this planet of Hyrule there lies a continent, also named Hyrule. This is said to be the center of the planet. Now, this can be confusing at times, not to mention completely ridiculous and worthy of a head butt to the ovaries, so when anyone refers to Hyrule they are talking about the continent unless otherwise noted. Hyrule is said to be the resting place of an ultimate power, a power that is the source of all life on planet Hyrule. It is said this is why the continent was named after the planet.

In the beginning of the planet's history, it was created by three supreme beings. These are the three Goddesses known as Farore, Nayru, and Din. Din, the Goddess of power, used her power to sculpt the lands of planet Hyrule. Din is associated with the power of fire and the color of red. Nayru, the goddess of wisdom, added the spirit of law to the world, thus creating what we know as physics. Nayru is associated with the power of water and the color blue. Farore, the goddess of courage, created all the life forms to uphold the laws created by Nayru. Farore is associated with the power of the winds, the forest, and the color of green.

When the three Goddesses left the planet they left a mark known as the Triforce. This Triforce is recognized as the source of everything to be on the planet Hyrule. There is extreme power behind it, and if one were to claim the Triforce, they could have any wish granted to them. Not anyone can claim the Triforce, though. Any being who tries to claim it must have with them a perfect balance of power, wisdom, and courage. If they do not possess an equal balance of all three, the Triforce is scattered and whatever that person carries the most of is the Triforce they receive. Someone has tried to obtain the Triforce, and they did not carry the perfect balance, and so began the legend.


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's note: **The chapters are short in the beginning, but they get progressively longer. I didn't have much to say in the beginning but the story is becoming a little more complicated, and now I'm trying to cut stuff out. I have plenty of chapters already typed up, but are mainly just me typing before I lose my train of thought. I will try to completely edit my chapters and place them out to the public at least once a week. Thank you.

**Chapter 1**

"Hey boy, get up, get back to work."

A young boy opened his eyes, apparently passed out from the heat and exhaustion. As he looked up, the young boy saw his master's head blocking the sun, hanging over him. His master was a rugged looking Hylian, skinny, with beard stubble and torn overalls. He always had the same farmer look to him no matter what the occasion.

"Sir, I'm having troubles working. May I please get some water from the trough." The boy said tiredly as he stumbled up.

The master gave an unconcerned gaze to the young boy, "Boy, I have half a mind to put you back in the shed where you belong. I give you food and shelter and all I want from you is a little hard work and dedication for my good graces. Now I don't want to hear one more word from you 'til this is finished."

The boy silently grabbed the hoe and began digging up the dirt once more. The master just got this plantation. It was an upgrade from his previous one. The boy was in charge of all duties associated with anything that had to do with anything. In this case, the boy had to till up all the dirt with a simple tool. The master didn't have much money and couldn't afford one of those nice cattle driven tillers the boy had seen in the paper.

The sun was nearly settled behind the horizon when the boy finished. A week on this project and he was finally done. The boy was relieved, this was the hardest task that had been bestowed upon him since he was born. The boy walked up to the house and knocked on the door to tell the master of his accomplishments. The master went out to look at his work.

"Took you long enough, now get in the house and take a bath, you smell. I'll have dinner waiting for you when you're done." The master ushered the boy into the house and closed the door.


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The boy got out of the bath and put on his "clean" clothes. His clothes weren't so much clean as they were the cleanest ones he had. He didn't have anything much better than what his master had. He looked in the mirror, happy to see a clean face looking back at him. The boy was young, only about 13 years old, skinny with blonde hair and soft facial features.

He grabbed at the hole on the bottom of his pointy ear. It reminded him of better days. The days when he was doing work with other kids his age. A few years back the master had a big plantation, too big to have just one kid do work. So he had several kids working for him, and he didn't want to remember their names so he gave each of them a number. The master stuck a tag through each kids' ear, as one would do with cattle. The boy was number 7. Even then the master's tools were primitive because he had enough hands to use smaller inexpensive tools, which also meant less work for the boy.

The boy rushed downstairs, eager to finally get something to eat. On the table he saw a plate of what was supposed to be food. The boy rushed to eat and devoured it down without even taking a breath and gulped down the water in record time. He looked around aware of what he had just done. If the master saw him eating like that the boy would be sleeping in the shed right about now. The master always said, "Act like a pig and be treated like a pig." Luckily there wasn't a soul in sight.

The boy stepped down from the table and went off to go to bed when there was a knock at the door. The iron knocker was loud and rang through the whole house. The boy was curious who was at the door, but he knew better than to answer it. So he went all the way upstairs and crept down a little ways to peak at the doorway. The master walked up to the door and answered it.

Much to his dismay he saw a girl, but not just any girl. This had to be none other than princess Zelda. The boy had snuck out plenty of times at night to go to the castle to try to catch a glimpse of her, but she was never there. The princess was a busy girl, always traveling to and fro. She was even more beautiful than the boy had imagined. She had pretty facial features, and long dirty blonde hair tied down in a ponytail running down her back. She was about the boy's age and wore an elegant blue dress encrusted with jewels and a tiara on her head.

The boy couldn't hear exactly what was being said but he heard something about a dangerous criminal running loose. The guard took over talking to the master and that was when Zelda glanced towards the boy's direction. The boy gasped and moved back out of sight. His heart was pounding hard and he could barely breathe. He figured he should quit while he was ahead. He went up to his bedroom and lay there staring at the ceiling, restless. He imagined a better life, one where he could do whatever he wanted to instead of slave away to his master's wishes, and maybe even some day talk to the princess, until finally he drifted off to dream.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The boy awoke to the rooster's crow. That's the boy's alarm clock; if he isn't up by the time the rooster stops his morning routine he knows what's in store for him. He rushed downstairs to meet his master sitting at the table eating his breakfast. The boy never got his breakfast though. He never got any meal until his chores were done.

The master looked up at the boy with milk and cereal dripping out of his mouth, "Alright boy, I need you to go to the market and pick me up some more milk. You know which kind to get, not no cheap off brand." The master threw a satchel of rupees at the boy and the boy caught it. The boy stepped out the front door and looked at the vast landscape. They lived a long ways away from the market without a horse. The master had one, but the boy was too small to ride it.

In the town there were plenty of people, shops, games and even the castle itself is on the edge of town. The boy was used to the country life, but always wanted to try to live in town for a while, to see what it was like. Days like this were the best because of all the new things and people he saw. He was only allowed to look, though. He couldn't buy anything other than what he was supposed to or talk to anybody.

He began his journey to town. He liked the walk too. It gave him some time away from the downgrading and insults he constantly had to deal with. He often took his time with his walk, enjoying the fresh air and watching people ride by on their horses and the birds fly by. During the day it's very beautiful with all the flowers blowing in the wind, but at night it's a different story. You don't want to be caught outdoors during night without a weapon because there are foul things running around, like Keese and Tektites.

The boy arrived at town. This town is called Castle Town because the Castle is on the other side of town. Much different than a normal village this town is a bustling metropolis. The boy had a special market that he had to go to for the milk, the master was especially picky about what he drank.

The boy found the market and grabbed a bottle of milk and looked at the label, it said, "made by Lon Lon Ranch." He couldn't help but think about the ad he always sees for their milk, "Good milk comes from happy cows, happy cows come from Lon Lon Ranch." The boy has never tried the milk himself, he never gets good stuff like this. His drinks are limited to water only, and he never gets cereal. The boy gave the shopkeeper some rupees and attached three bottles of milk to his belt.

The boy left the market and out of Castle Town to start his journey back home. In the distance he saw someone riding towards the town on a horse. As the horse approached closer the boy could make out who was riding it. All he could do was stare in disbelief at the rider as the rider pulled up next to the boy and stopped. The boy wanted to run, but all he could do was remain frozen, unable to move.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"I…recognize you," said princess Zelda looking down on the boy from her horse.

The boy just stared at the princess, speechless. She intimidated him because of her position compared to his. She was the second highest royalty of Hyrule, and she was talking to a mere slave. Her sitting on the horse towering over him symbolized it, but then she got off her horse. It was as if she was trying to come off as less intimidating and to show she was on his level despite of her heritage.

"In case you didn't know my name is Zelda, what's your name?" She said softly, seeing the terror in his eyes.

"My name is boy." Said the boy, feeling less scared, but still tense.

"Boy? That isn't a name. Who named you that?" Said the princess, a little confused.

"My master did. My number used to be 7, but now he calls me boy." Said the boy. It was all pretty casual, he had no idea there was anything wrong with what he had just said.

The princess looked surprised, "Master? Number 7? You are the kid I seen at the Darigan Farm right?"

The boy paused for a second, "Yeah."

The princess grabbed the boy's hand, "Come on, your coming with me. There isn't something right here. I'm going to send some guards down there to question Darigan, maybe even arrest him."

"No!" The boy pulled his hand away. "If I'm not back in time master is going to put me in the shed."

After hearing that she knew the boy wasn't being treated right. She quickly thought up a new plan, "You're right, you should go back. If you're not back he will most likely suspect something is up and may flee." The princess hopped back on her horse. "Go back home, and wait there. Don't tell your master about this."

The boy watched as the princess rode into the town. He then began walking back home, and soon broke off into a run. He didn't know what to do, he wasn't supposed to talk to people, but when the princess talks to you, you have to talk back. _Now look what I did, now the guards are going to come and we're going to move again._ The boy thought to himself as he was running. The sun was nearing the horizon as the boy made it back to the farm.

"Where've you been boy?" Darigan yelled at him. "I think it's time for you to go into the shed!"

Darigan grabbed the boy's arm and began dragging him off to the shed.

"No!" The boy screamed as he tried to pull away from Darigan's grip.

"It's too late now boy, you should've thought of this before you went and sniffed some flowers." Darigan said with a sneer.

Darigan threw the boy in the shed and closed the door. The shed housed all the tools. It was burning hot in the day and freezing cold in the morning. The shed smelled of rust and the floor was hard and uncomfortable, giving the boy cramps when he slept on it. Before Darigan could lock the door, though, he heard several horses running up to the house. He heard his door get kicked in and armor clanking about. _Guards._ He thought to himself. Darigan opened up the shed door.

"You talked to someone." Darigan scolded quietly.

"I didn't mean…" Before the boy could finish his sentence Darigan took the boy on his shoulder and ran to his horse before the guards started searching out back. Darigan put the boy on the ground, hopped on the horse, then pulled the boy up. They rode out the back gate, away from the guards. It was too late, the guards couldn't catch up to them now.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The boy held on to Darigan's back as they rode into the night. They should be pretty safe as long as they're on the horse. The monsters are no match for the horse's hooves. The monsters that wander the nights of Hyrule are generally considered some of the weakest monsters that exist. Making them easy to slay with a weapon, or a horse.

The boy no longer had the milk bottles attached to his belt. He didn't have them on there tight, not tight enough for all the chaos. In the midst of all the anger and escape, him and Darigan completely forgot about the milk. The boy did still have the satchel of rupees attached to his belt, nice and snug.

_What's going to happen now?_ The boy thought to himself. _I wonder where we're at. I wonder where we're going. I wonder if I'll ever see princess Zelda again, I wonder…_

The boy's thoughts were interrupted from being flung forward off of the horse. The horse came crashing down on its side and Darigan and the boy went flying about 15 feet in front of it. The horse quickly stumbled up from the fall and ran away.

The boy got up and brushed himself off. During the rainy season the boy sometimes had to patch up the roof on their house. He loses his balance sometimes and falls off, so he's had to learn how to roll with a fall to avoid getting hurt. His master, though, never had a need to learn that trick. His master was lying there on the ground, unconscious.

The boy went over to Darigan and shook him, trying to wake him up, but alas, nothing. He looked around, hoping there were no monsters, hoping to see some kind of house in the distance. He saw nothing, just a forest on the horizon. So the boy just sat there, waiting for his master to come back to consciousness.

Then, the boy heard a noise. It came from the ground a short distance from him. _Oh no,_ he thought as a white cloud materialized before him. A Tektite came bursting out of the cloud. Then another cloud and Tektite appeared, and another, and another, until there were several Teketites, surrounding the boy and his unconscious master.

Tektites are spider like creatures with 4 legs, a body, and a single eyeball on the body. Tektites only have the pincers in their mouth and the sharp thorns surrounding their bodies as weapons, making unarmed combat impossible against them. The joints in their legs make their movement very limited. They can move on the ground in small steps, but they're mainly limited to jumping, which they're very good at. Their only real form of attack is lunging themselves at enemies, using the thorns on their bodies to eliminate their enemy, and maybe their pinchers if they can get close enough.

There the boy was, surrounded by Teketites, with no weapons, an unconscious master, and no hope. The Teketites slowly began advancing on the boy, taking small steps, not yet jumping. There was no chance for the boy running, there were too many enemies and small gaps, none big enough to rush through. All the boy could do was close his eyes, lower his head, and hope for a miracle.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The boy had his eyes shut tight, expecting the worst. That was when the boy heard a man shouting some "hi-yaws" and "huhs." He looked up and saw a somewhat elderly man swinging a sword all about. The Tektites shifted their efforts on him and all began jumping at him. The old man did some tumbles, back flips, swings, jabs, etc, until the enemies had been completely slain.

The old man tiredly walked up to the boy and Darigan. "What are you guys doing out here?" He said.

"We fell off our horse and he fled." Said the boy, looking up at the old man.

The old man caught his breath, "Well then, let's get you fellas on my horse and to my cottage. By the way, my name is Balthamor, what's yours son?"

"My name is boy, and this is master, he got knocked out by the fall." Said the boy

"Interesting names, well help me hoist master on to this horse will ya?" He motioned towards his huge steed. "He's one hell of a warhorse, so he can carry all of us."

The boy helped plop his master on the horse. The boy hopped on the horse and positioned himself so he could help hold his master from falling off as they rode. Balthamor grabbed the reins and snapped the horse into gear. The three of them then rode off towards the forest in the horizon.

"Do you live in the forest?" Asked the boy

"No, of course not, I live right outside of the forest. No person in their right mind would live in the forest, too many strange creatures in there." Said Balthamor.

Aside from that small exchange of words there wasn't any talking on the ride to Balthamor's house. It wasn't too far of a ride, about 10 minutes. The horse was strong, it ran relatively fast for the weight it had on it. As soon as they arrived at the house, Balthamor and the boy unloaded Darigan into a bed inside the house.

"You thirsty son?" Asked Balthamor

"Yes, sir." Said the boy.

"You like orange juice?" Asked Balthamor as he reached for some cups.

"Never had it before, sir."

"You've never had orange juice? I've never met anyone who's never had orange juice before. Let me get you a glass." He poured him a glass of juice and handed it to him.

"You know, boy is an interesting name. Why did…master, name you that?" Balthamor asked because the whole situation was pretty mysterious, he was hoping if he asked the right questions he could get some answers.

"Dunno, the master calls me that. He used to call me seven." Said the boy as he drank his orange juice. "Wow, this stuff is good, it tastes so much better than water.

"Seven is an even more interesting name, why did he call you that?"

The boy was reluctant at first, but eventually with the right questions asked by the old man, everything as far back as the boy could remember was revealed. The boy also revealed how Darigan had got caught at his first ranch with all the kids. When Darigan got caught he took the boy with him and ran. The boy was his first kid, and felt connected to him in a strange, twisted way. The boy first lived in the country Brimtop, and doesn't remember anything before that. Darigan is all he's ever had for a parent, but most likely isn't his real dad. The boy only recently discovered Darigan's real name when the princess revealed it.

"Hey!" Darigan came halfway out of the bedroom, leaning against the doorway. "What are you two talking about?"


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Balthamor didn't answer Darigan's question, he glanced at the boy, then back at Darigan.

"Well I'm feeling much better now," said Darigan, Glaring at Balthamor. "Thanks for taking care of my boy, but we're going to have to leave."

"You can't leave at this time of night." Balthamor started. "You can stay the rest of the night, but you're leaving in the morning, and only you."

Darigan smiled, "Look at that, granddad telling me what to do. How about this, I take the boy, I take your horse, and I take this sword." Darigan exposed the other half of his body and in his left hand he held a scabbard containing a sword. The sword made a metal scraping sound as he unsheathed it and pointed it at Balthamor.

"You dare draw my own sword at me in my place of rest? Have you any idea who you're dealing with?" Balthamor's voice deepened and his eyes squinted at Darigan.

Darigan gave off a hrmph sound. "What does an old man like you have against me? Besides, your weapons rack is way on the other side of the room."

"Are you saying you would hurt an old man such as myself?"

"If you choose to try to keep my slave from me."

"In that case you leave me no choice but to remove you from my quarters," replied Balthamor, calmly.

Just then Darigan began charging at Balthamor. Balthamor instantly grabbed a couple kitchen knives off the counter and parried Darigan's attack. Balthamor pushed Darigan's sword away and Darigan instantly swung wide at Balthamor. Balthamor ducked as the sword went over his head, leaving Darigan wide open for an attack. Balthamor swung his leg on the ground and tripped Darigan. Darigan went sprawling on his back and the sword went sliding across the kitchen floor.

Balthamor pinned Darigan's neck with his foot, "Game over." Balthamor held his foot there for a moment and then removed it. "Now, I think it's time for you to leave."

Darigan held his back as he slowly rose off the ground. Balthamor nodded his head towards the door. Darigan walked over, opened the door and stepped out. Balthamor picked up a few 6-foot deku sticks sitting by the door.

"Here, take these, it should be enough to keep you alive during the night." He threw them at Darigan and closed the door.

"Well, he probably won't be bothering us ever again." Balthamor wiped his hands in satisfaction. "You've missed out on a lot in life kid, and in the morning I can take you to the castle and they'll help you find a nice home."

The boy started daydreaming about the castle, and about princess Zelda. Maybe his dream of being free is finally coming true. Maybe he can talk to the princess again.

"If you stayed here, though, I could teach you the ways of the warrior. In case you haven't noticed I am a seasoned fighter, very seasoned. I am getting older and I won't be alive forever. I need a young protégé to take my place," explained the old man.

The boy's train of thoughts stopped, and new ones began to take place. If he went back to the princess now he would be a poor, weak little slave boy without even a name. He wouldn't even be able to protect her, and a princess needs protection.

"It's up to you. Go ahead and sleep on it, but either way, we need to decide on a name, think of that one while you sleep too. I think you're old enough to choose your own name." Said the old man

And so they settled in for the night, leaving the boy with a life altering decision.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The boy woke up and he didn't hear a rooster crowing, it was the best sound he ever heard, silence. He looked out the window and the sun was high in the sky, it was noon. He's never slept this late. He enjoyed this new lifestyle very much. He couldn't believe he was so ignorant to the slavery he was subjected to.

He got up and made his way to the kitchen. This house was definitely a cabin, maybe even a little more than that. It was made of logs and was pretty big. It had several rooms. The room the boy slept in was converted from armor storage. There also was the kitchen, the main bedroom, the weapons room, and a few training rooms.

The boy made his way into the kitchen. Balthamor left a note on the counter. The boy couldn't read most of it. His reading skills were very limited, for he only knew what Darigan had taught him. From what he understood he believed he was allowed to eat whatever he wanted, which was something that was never granted to him.

The boy got some food and ate better than he had his whole life. He couldn't eat much, though. he wasn't used to eating large amounts of food. What he did have was great, though. While he ate he thought about what he would tell Balthamor when he got back. Both sides had their advantages, and he wished he didn't have to make the decision.

Balthamor came through the door a short while after the boy had gotten done eating. He found the boy had wandered into one of the training rooms, the sword training area.

"Like this place?" He asked the boy.

"Yeah. Where'd you go?" Asked the boy

"Didn't your read the note?"

"I can't read good."

"Oh, well I searched the area for Darigan. He seems to have left for good. Have you made a decision yet?"

"I…think" The boy was unsure.

"Don't answer unless you're sure. You have the freedom to make your own choices now. Don't be afraid to do something new."

"I'm not afraid."

"That's good. You seem like a very courageous boy."

The boy during the whole conversation was staring at a statue in the corner of the room. It was a gray statue of a man wearing a tunic and a pointy cap. He wielded a sword in his left hand, holding it up in the air. In his right hand he bore a shield, encrusted with a giant cross.

"Who's that?" The boy finally asked.

"That…is Hyrule's hero. He saved the princess as well as the planet from a great evil known as Ganon."

"He must've been a great warrior."

"Oh yes, he was the best. He was very brave, just like you."

"Do you have to be brave to be a warrior?"

"Yes, as well as strong. You must overcome many obstacles to reach your full potential. Not many people can make it, and there is a shortage of true warriors in today's world. Ever since Ganon was defeated people have felt secure and don't look at warriors as they once did. Just because Ganon's gone doesn't mean people don't still need help," explained Balthamor.

_Like how you helped me_, the boy thought to himself. "Balthamor, I've made my decision, I want to train to be a warrior." The boy said it with such certainty, that Balthamor knew it's what he truly wanted in his heart. "But what was the hero's name?"

"Nobody knows, many details about him have been lost in time, it may be the missing link to many answers.

The boy cocked his head to the side a little bit, "That's what I want my name to be. My name is Link."


	10. Chapter 9

**_Legend of Zelda factoid: _**_The old man in "The Legend of Zelda" gave link advice and swords. His first words in the game were "It's dangerous to adventure alone. Take this."_

**Chapter 9**

Link trained for many years. He stayed pretty secluded for the most part and spent a lot of his days exercising and working on his swordplay. He found exercise in just about any task, including going to the town Saria to pick up supplies. Saria was closer than Castle Town and had everything they needed. Link never went to Castle Town or saw Zelda since their last meeting.

Balthamor was very impressed at what Link could do as a child with no training. It was through his forced labor that he received great endurance and dexterity. He learned fast and was easy to train. Link too felt it came naturally to him, and enjoyed the training exercises most of the time. Like everything though, the more you do it the more you don't want to do it. Over time it started to become a chore, but Link stayed hard at it, dedicated to his ultimate goal of becoming a warrior.

Link learned to use the sword, the bow, the shield, and all the basic battle maneuvers as well as any weapon specific ones Balthamor knew. Balthamor didn't know everything there was to battle, though. Link would have to learn new techniques through his future travels. He also taught Link about the 3 most important points in a warrior's life, known as levels. After passing the third level the warrior was complete in his training, and could go no further until he went out and experienced the world on his own.

The levels are as follows:

Level 1: A warrior must be knowledgeable in his opponents and his weaponry. A written test is administered consisting of many questions regarding basic monsters, equipment, weak points, and battle tactics. After passing this he moves onto level 2 and will receive a loop to put through his ear to symbolize his knowledge.

Level 2: A warrior must test his use with the basic weapons and his agility in combat. A warrior without good footwork and proper stance will quickly fall in battle. This stage is passed by a physical test consisting of an obstacle course with several challenges. Upon completion of this level, the warrior will be upgraded to level 3, and will be awarded a proper sword and shield to symbolize his power.

Level 3: This is a trial that is essential in every warrior's life. It is the final level for a warrior to pass. This will test the knowledge gained in levels 1 and 2 as well as add the lesson of experience to it. The teacher that is training the warrior will assign a specific task for the warrior to carry out. The task will not be an easy one and will be dangerous. The teacher appoints a task that he sees fit, such as slaying a specific monster or retrieving an item. Once the trial is passed it shows the final mark in a warrior's training. Once the warrior has finished his training he will become a full-fledged warrior, and will receive a matching tunic and hat to symbolize his courage.

7 years passed since Balthamor found Link and began to train him. Now at the age of 20, Link passed level 2 and was ready for his trial.

"You are at level 3 young Link, finally ready for your final trial to be a warrior." Balthamor said to Link. "I am too old now Link, it's time for me to retire. These past 7 years have been the best years of my life, and you came in the knick of time too. If you came any later I may not have been able to fully train you."

Link nodded. It was true. Balthamor has aged a lot more this past 7 years. He isn't a fighting warrior anymore, he's too weak and fragile. Though he can't fight, he can still do simple household chores. He now has a long white mustache flowing out from beyond his face, a large white beard, and a mostly bald head with some white hair circling the edge of it minus the hairline. He wore a red robe whenever he was passing his teachings on to Link.

"You started pretty late in life..." The old man continued. "…but you learned quickly. This is where most warriors receive a challenge to complete their trial, but you are different. Before you even came here you had passed your trial. You had a 13-year trial, one that no one should suffer through. There are few true warriors out there anymore, and even fewer who have the knowledge to train others." Balthamor walked over to a chest in the corner of the sparring room they were standing in. He unlocked it and opened it. "You've been wondering what's in this chest for a while, now it's time to show you." Balthamor pulled out a green tunic and green pointed hat. "I made this specially for you. You have shown tremendous courage and dedication. The ancient hero also wore a green tunic, as well as obtained the Triforce of Courage. As you know, the color green and the Triforce of Courage are bound within the divinity Farore. Now you have the green tunic just like him, it looks like all your missing is the Triforce of Courage." He chuckled.

Link donned the items Balthamor handed to him.

"You're still missing something. You need the proper equipment," said Balthamor as he walked to some shelves filled with equipment. "It's dangerous to adventure alone, take these items to help you. I don't have a use for them anymore."

Link was now prepared for battle. He had his sword sheathed in his scabbard which rested on his back. The strap ran from his left shoulder down to his right hip for easy access. The quiver rested on his back the same way as the scabbard, but it was smaller and stood up at a different angle than the scabbard so he could easily judge what he was grabbing without looking. He put his bow on his back resting on his scabbard and quiver. His shield also rested on his back, with some metal lips on the top and bottom of the shield held steady in some pockets in the tunic. He also wore the earring he obtained from training, as well as some gripping gloves, and thick boots.

"You are now a full fledged warrior. If you'd like to practice on some real monsters you can wait until nightfall and go out and knock down some Tektites, you can use the Keese as bow practice. I'm off to bed. Do as you please, no more training."

Link began to breathe normally again. He spent most of his time holding his breath in this tense moment. Balthamor retired to his room. He didn't have much stamina in him anymore. Fortunately the old man has taken care of himself, there is still plenty of days left for him to see Link grow even more and give him advice if need be.

Link decided to go to Castle Town. It was time he began living on his own whim. Link wanted to travel, but wanted to bone up on his skills first by helping out on local issues. Link wanted to help others out, the same way Balthamor helped him. _It's the way of the warrior._ Link always told himself.

On his ride to Castle Town, Link remembered Zelda. _She probably wouldn't even recognize me now…hopefully._ Link thought to himself. He was still ashamed of his past, and wanted to never think of it again. He felt so stupid for staying with Darigan when he could've ran away so easily. _The princess saved me instead of me saving her, how embarrassing._ He cringed at the thought. As he got older, he realized his dream of saving the princess' life was unrealistic and absurd, because that would require her life to be in danger, and that could mean her getting hurt. Still, he felt a connection towards her and didn't want her to judge him based on his past. _My past is no more... I have a new life now. A new life as Link the warrior, and not as the slave boy without a name._


	11. Chapter 10

_**Legend of Zelda factoid: **In "The Adventures of Link" (Zelda 2), the old man taught Link magic and the guard taught Link sword abilities._

**Chapter 10**

Link arrived at Castle Town. It was late in the afternoon, so he wasted no time and walked straight to the castle. If he were to find local problems, the fastest way would be to talk to the princess and have her hire him. Aside from that, it would give him an excuse to see her. Making it to the princess was his current objective. Obviously, his passage was interrupted by a guard.

"Halt, stranger. State your business," said the guard holding one hand out. The guard left his other hand on his sword's handle, which was attached to his waist.

Link looked un-amused, "I am a traveling warrior looking to help the fellow citizens of Hyrule. Perhaps I may speak with the princess about being hired on such matters."

The guard let his hand down, but left his other hand on the sword. "You think you can just barge in here wearing some hand me down tunic and expect to be taken seriously as a warrior? Maybe you can do some work mopping the floors of the castle basement."

"Well why don't you just let me talk to the princess and let her decide?"

The guard let out a grunt. "If you're really intent on getting in why don't you prove your worth? The princess won't be back for another week, so in the meantime why don't you handle a problem we've been having. There's been a strange abundance of Gerudo bandits in the area. It's not our matter to handle foreign affairs, but if you can give us some insight on this problem, I might just arrange an interview for you and the princess."

"Very well, I will return in one week." Said Link as he saluted the guard and walked off. The guard stopped Link after only a few steps.

"Hey, warrior." Said the guard with slight sarcasm, "If you're going to go out there into the world and fight monsters then you had better know how to spin slash, it's the best way to defeat enemies whilst surrounded. You do know how to spin slash, correct?"

Link looked a little confused, "Um… no"

The guard didn't look surprised, "Well what kind of warrior are you? Let's go, I'll teach you before you leave."

The guard put another guard in his spot and led Link to an open area.

"Now," started the guard, "This is what you're going to do. You are simply going to just hold your sword out and spin in a circle, simple right? Give it a shot."

Link proceeded to do as the guard had said, and succeeded in circling about 1 ¼ times before he had to put his foot out and stop himself from falling.

"Hah! Pathetic, as I had expected." The guard stepped forward and moved link aside. "Let me show you this."

The guard bent his knees, positioned his right foot behind his left, extended his sword behind him, and bent his other arm horizontally in front of his body. He then pushed himself with his right foot and spun around several times. Link felt the wind from the guard's spinning. The guard stopped in the same position he started off in.

"That's how you effectively perform a spin slash," said the guard with a slight smile.

The guard spent a short time teaching Link how to perform the spin slash. A fairly simple maneuver to perform, just the right positioning and a little balance and it was no problem. After they were done they said their goodbyes.

Link's next stop was the Gerudo city known as Gerudo Fortress. It was a long ride so he was going to need a horse. That would be his task for tomorrow. Night was creeping around the corner, and Link decided to practice some fighting on the nightfall monsters before getting some shut eye.

Link went outside a short distance from Castle Town and waited, sword drawn and shield ready for a monster. A cloud eventually materialized and out popped a Tektite. The Tektites and Keese are the most common creatures out here, though others may appear every once in a while.

The battle commenced, Link brought his arm back to swing as the Tektite leaped at him. Link brought his arm back too far and hard, and somehow the sword went flying out of Link's hands. _Oops. _He put his shield up just as the Tektite landed on him.

Now Link was in an awkward spot. He was holding his shield as far away from his body as far as possible with the Tektite on top of his shield. Link saw its legs on either side of him, not too far from his face. The Tektite was too far off the ground to jump. Link had to find a way to get this bugger off his shield.

Link heaved his legs up and kicked the shield, sending the Tektite flying behind him, right by his sword. Link got up as the monster flipped around to face Link with its one eye. The Tektite jumped at Link and he dodged the attack by leaping backwards. Link's back hit a giant blue flower. Link turned around right as the giant blue flower turned into a giant blue flower with teeth! Link let out a small yell as he lifted up his shield right before the flower could bite him. The flower's face hit Link's shield and knocked him yet again on his back.

As soon as Link landed on his back the Tektite landed on the flower, barely missing Link, and killing the flower. The flower stiffened up and left behind only a hardened form of its giant stem, essentially a stick. The Tektite jumped up yet again and began falling towards Link. Link quickly grabbed the stick dropped by the flower and hit the Tektite, sending it back towards Link's sword… again. _Holy Farore, this is not going the way I had intended._

The Tektite leaped at Link as he swung his stick at it, sending the monster back again. Link didn't want to give the Tektite another chance to jump, so he charged at it. He held the stick with both hands and jumped at it with all the power behind his body and arms. Link let out a "YAH!" as the stick broke over the body of the Tektite. The Tektite made a strange noise at it went rolling back. The Tektite turned into a cloud of black and purple smoke, and then it dissipated into nothing. Link threw the broken stick, it was useless now.

Link grabbed his sword and sheathed it. He didn't know what happened there. The point of his gripping gloves was to prevent things like that from happening. He figured he must have been a little nervous being his first fight. _It won't happen again. A nervous warrior is a dead warrior. _He thought to himself as he saw a Keese flying his way.

A Keese is a bat like monster. It quickly latches itself to its enemy and bites it right before taking off again. They're more annoying then anything, sneaking up on you while you're fighting another monster or not paying attention. Link put his shield on his back and grabbed his bow and an arrow. He shot the Keese with an arrow, and didn't see it after that.

Link practiced all his maneuvers, including his new spin slash. He never ran into any more complications after that first Tektite. He finally got tired of practicing and decided to go to sleep before his long day tomorrow. He went back into town and found an inn. He plopped himself on the bed exhausted. _The Gerudos… I want to travel, but that's one trip I'm not looking forward to._ He thought to himself as he fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 11

**Author's note:** Just for the heck of it I have decided to add _Legend of Zelda_ facts for those hardcore Zelda fans out there. They may explain some small details I put in the story that have nothing to do with the main plot, so they're not that important. I've added them to previous chapters too.

**Chapter 11**

Link was ready to start his day getting a horse. He decided Lon Lon Ranch was the best place to start because they were known for their horse race competitions. On his way out of town he happened by a Gerudo merchant with her wares spread out on a blanket. She had a small canopy protecting her from the sun. All of this stuff was most likely stolen goods, but he saw a relatively small satchel for 20,000 rupees!

"I can't think of any satchel worth that much my friend. Not even the biggest bomb bag full of bombs would be worth that." Link said to the Gerudo.

The Gerudo laughed with delight, or insanity, it was hard to tell. "This is no ordinary satchel my friend. This small bag has been blessed by a giant fairy from the far east. This satchel acts as tiny portal, attached to a holding space in another dimension. It can hold many, many items, without the burden of weight or space."

Link didn't have 20,000 rupees to buy it, even if he did believe the crazy cook. A man walking by carrying a large crate of produce overheard the dirt merchant and didn't hesitate much to buy the bag. The man went to put his fruits into his newly purchased bag, but the only fruit it would hold is nuts, just like the woman who sold it.

"Ah, ah, ah." The Gerudo shook her finger. "No refunds."

The man turned red as the tomatoes in his crate as he stormed off, 20,000 rupees poorer, and the thief 20,000 rupees richer. Link couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the sucker. It was all the more reason to try to get these Gerudos out of here. The first step, of course, was getting this horse.

Link approached Lon Lon Ranch. It wasn't too far from Castle Town. He went inside and found the owner. The owner was a tall skinny man in pink overalls with a jutting mustache and similar eyebrows. The guy used to be co-owner of the ranch with his brother, but they got into an argument over who could run a ranch better. The fat man left and started his own ranch, but it hasn't been as successful. The skinny one kept Lon Lon Ranch, which already had a name established for great milk. Adding on the horse races brought in even more people.

"Hooooweeee. We got a big fella over here." The ranch owner had a similar accent to Darigan's, although less intelligible. It sent a shiver down Link's spine. "My name's Injun, what can I do you for?"

"I'm looking for a horse," said Link.

"Well wes got plenty of horses 'round here. Just pick an' choose, you lookin' for anything 'pecific?" Asked Injun.

"No, just a good one. I want it to be fast and strong, a horse fit for the heat of battle." Explained Link

"Well I breed mostly racin' horses. But I do have one horse right over here." Injun led Link to the horse. "This breed of horse we call Epona. It's very hard breedin' this horse because there's none around like it. Every horse is asexual, and to stimulate her pregnancy we have to produce a special mix to feed this thing. Every horse is born female and can give birth once, maybe twice in their lifetime. Dis one 'ad her baby a while ago, but we sold that one. If you're interested in purchasing this horse it's 7,000 rupees. If it's too expensive then you can buy one a da cheaper ones, the cheapest is 2,000."

Link checked his wallet, only 600 rupees. He couldn't afford any horse, but he wanted Epona, and he couldn't leave here without her.

Link looked around. If there's one thing Link knew about Hylians it was their gambling spirit. The trick was finding something the person liked that they could gamble on. In this case it was horse racing, but Link wondered how he could use it to his advantage. He had to ride a horse in his training, even shoot targets while riding on the back of a horse. He knew how to ride a horse pretty well.

"What do you think is the fastest horse in this ranch?" Link asked Injun.

Injun laughed. "Well that'd be my baby right over there." He pointed to a sleek black horse. "I call that one there Arrow. Cuz that's about how fast she goes."

"Have you ever rode Epona?" Asked Link

"Nah. She just doesn't look right to me. She doesn't look like she'd be very fast." Injun grimaced a little at the thought.

Link had an idea, "I'll bet you I can ride Epona, and beat you on your fastest horse. If I win, I get Epona."

Injun looked intrigued, "An' what if you lose?"

Link thought for a second, he didn't have much on him. "You can have this sword. It can sell for a pretty penny, it's hand crafted from a master swordsman himself."

Injun didn't think it was too fair, a 7,000-rupee horse for what could be a 700-rupee sword at best. "Throw in the shield, yur bow, an' the satchel of rupees and we'll call it a deal." Injun still didn't think it was too fair, but he was confident he could win and would end up a little wealthier in the end.

"Alright, you're on. I just have to run to town for a moment to prepare my riding clothes." Link had no intention of changing clothes. Instead he remembered something he saw at the Gerudo.

Link made his way back to town and walked up to the dirt merchant. "Hey, what do those carrots do?"

The Gerudo gave her stupid laugh, "Those are magic carrots, if you feed them to your horse he'll go faster."

"Figured as much, what do you want for them?"

"2,000 rupees a piece."

"I'll give you 20 for all of them." Link said as he stared firmly into the Gerudo's eyes.

"Fine, 20 it is. Chump." The Gerudo looked a little sad her con didn't work.

Link grabbed the carrots and ran back to the ranch. "Alright, ready!"

"Where'd you go? You didn't change," said Injun, confused.

"I lied. I went to go get these carrots."

"Carrots? what're you gonna do with some carrots?"

"They're magic carrots. They make my horse go faster."

"Hey, dats no fair, you tricked me!"

"Hey, deal's a deal. You have to race me."

"No way! I dun play wit cheats. Get outta my ranch."

"Okay, okay. What if I gave you half of my carrots? Would you still race me then?"

The rancher thought about it. "Sure, saddle up partner. You're in for a ride. Go ahead an' hop on yur horse." Injun gave a weird smirk.

Link approached Epona but she didn't really like Link. She backed up and rubbed her hooves on the ground as a warning to him. _My type of horse_. Link thought to himself. The rancher laughed at Link because of this predicament. Link has plenty tricks up his sleeve. Balthamor had taught Link a song that was theoretically supposed to help soothe horses, but Balthamor had never seen it work. If nothing else the song was a sweet song that could be sung by campfires to make people smile.

Link began to whistle the song. Epona seemed somewhat entranced by the sound. Even Injun couldn't help but be silent while he performed his magic. Epona walked over to Link and gave a soft neigh. Link pet Epona softly as he led her out of the stable.

Injun was in shock, "Well that doesn't make her a good race horse." Unfortunately he was right. Link was going to have to give it his all. Hopefully his plan would work.

They got on their marks on the racetrack. The racetrack was about 1 mile around.

"Rules are simple, 2 laps around wins. You can use the carrots whenever you want. You can't knock me down, you can't run into me on purpose, an' you can't throw them carrots at me either. Same rules go for me too," said Injun before they started.

One of the ranch helpers was on the side to give the ready, set, go. Link and Injun looked at each other as the ranch help gave the "GO!" Then they were off.

Injun's horse had remarkable speed. Injun was about 3 horses ahead of Link. Everything was going pretty fast but he could see what Injun was doing. Injun was lighter than Link, and Injun relied mostly on the horse to get him to the finish line. As Link expected, though, Injun's horse was a sprinter and wasn't as good in the long run. Link moved with the horse's movements instead of against them as Injun did. Link could also feel the pockets in the wind and tried to use them to help him get as little wind resistance as possible. Link slowly crept up behind Injun.

Injun looked back and saw Link closing in. He was about 1 horse length behind Injun. This race was going to be a close call, after passing the first lap there was only one lap left, and Link was steadily closing in. Injun had too much to lose, he needed a small burst. Injun figured Link had used all his carrots by now to catch up with him like that. Injun grabbed a carrot and tried to feed a carrot to his horse. The horse began chewing on the carrot and slowed down while he chewed.

Injun looked confused and furious at the same time as Link rode up beside him. Injun's horse was still chewing on the carrot, and was enjoying it while he cruised along the racetrack. There was no close call in this race. There was a definite winner, and the winner was Link.

Injun was upset and pulling his hair out screaming at the end of the race. "How could I lose! I had magic carrots, you tricked me! The carrots were anti magic carrots! They made my horse slow down! Ahhhhhhh!"

"The carrots were normal carrots. There's no such thing as magic carrots. You're horse can't run full speed and eat at the same time. Epona's mine, a deal's a deal, all the rules were followed in the race."

Injun was on the verge of tears. His arrogance, greed and gullibility caused him to lose the horse. _I'm going to stop by Balthamor's cabin and tell him of my story._ Link thought to himself as he rode out of Lon Lon Ranch on his new horse, Epona.

Link rode on Epona's back to the cabin of his trainer, his hero, and his eternal friend. He arrived at the cabin and couldn't find Balthamor anywhere. He eventually saw a note on the counter in the kitchen. Link could read it this time, thanks to Balthamor. Link looked at the note, his mouth dropped open with terror.


	13. Chapter 12

**_Legend of Zelda factoid: _**_In "The Legend of Zelda" the last sword was called the "magic sword."_

_---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**Chapter 12**

Link read the note several times, eventually his reading just turned into a blank stare. This is how the note read:

_Dear Link,_

_You thought you could escape from your master didn't you? I've been hiding, watching, waiting in the woods. I was a wanted criminal and I had no way out of it. My only choice was to escape into the woods and hide out. There are plenty of creatures in here, and I would have died if it wasn't for the help of a witch by the name of Gratilda. She was my teacher, and I've been learning, just as you have for the past 7 years. She's been teaching me something you haven't learned, magic. Oh, magic, such a wonderful __thing. All your fancy swordplay is no match for it. I have your teacher, held here in the woods. If you want to save him you're going to have to come in here and get him. I'll be waiting, I expect you soon._

_Forever your master,_

_Darigan._

Link soon snapped out of his daze. _My past, coming back to haunt me. How could this happen? I shouldn't have left, this is the first time I've been gone for a whole night._ _What am I going to do now?_ Link was taught about the forest, and the witch that lived there. She practiced dark magic and worshipped the dark lord, Ganon. Even though Ganon was gone and would never return, she was hoping that someday he would be reincarnated. She knew much of the dark magic that he practiced, and was most likely passing it on to Darigan.

_I'm no match for them. Darigan is right, magic is powerful, especially dark magic. If I go there I will most likely have to fight a double dose of dark magic, the witch and Darigan._ Link thought to himself. _I have to get an audience with the princess, but she isn't going to be back for another week. Besides, I'm going to have a problem seeing her, solving the Gerudo problem would probably be my best bet getting in. Maybe then they'd be more than willing to help me out._

Link figured Darigan might not be as powerful as he had claimed to be in his letter. If he was as powerful as he made himself out to be he would just walk up to Link and do away with him. Darigan was no fool, though. He knew Link could stand a chance against him, so he kidnapped Balthamor and brought him into the woods. Darigan wanted to bring Link onto home territory.

Seeing no other choice Link hopped on Epona and made his way to Gerudo Fortress. Gerudo Fortress was located beyond the greener part of Hyrule, and began at the desert. The desert is known as Gerudo Desert. Beyond the fortress was a constant sandstorm, making it hard for anyone but a Gerudo to go deep into the desert. Most of the Gerudo's lived in Gerudo Fortress. The fortress is plenty big enough to hold all of them.

Link arrived at Gerudo Fortress. It was a massive stone building with a drawbridge drawn up to keep intruders out and a moat to snare invaders. Link began to shout things like "Hello" and "Is anybody there," hoping someone would hear him and let him in. Instead, he heard hooves pounding the ground behind him. He turned and saw a man, but not just any man, a Gerudo man, riding towards him on a horse.

The Gerudo man stopped beside Link. The man wore some thick, black, studded leather armor. Attached to the man's shoulders was a black cape with a red underside. The man towered over Link and looked very strong. He had dark green skin and a large nose, the trademarks of the Gerudos. His dark red hair was pulled back into cornrows and his facial features were very menacing. He rode in on a black stallion, which was also very strong looking.

"Hail, foreigner. What business have you here?" Stated the Gerudo in a deep booming voice.

"I come from Hyrule, addressing the problem of many of your kind thieving from the Hylians." Said Link

The man let out a hrmph. "Come, we'll talk in more comfortable quarters."

The man let out a strange call that Link couldn't even begin to mimic and the drawbridge began to lower. Link hopped on his horse and watched as the chains brought the giant gate down to level ground. The Gerudo man kicked his giant black horse and went into the fortress, Link followed. He saw a plethora of Gerudo women; their cold gazes sent a shiver down his spine. He could tell he wasn't welcome here.

The fortress had many small, square stone houses in it. They were stacked as if they were forming giant steps. Link didn't see any ladders leading to any of the buildings and wondered how the Gerudos got up there. The female Gerudos are known for their agility and wit, but to jump as high as that you'd need to ride on the back of a Tektite. Needless to say, something like that would be impossible.

The man led Link to a tower in the back corner of the fortress. They tied up their horses and Link followed the man up the tower. They arrived at a luxurious room with expensive features and a bed in the corner. It looked like it could be the man's living quarters..

"They won't bother us in here, they know better than to disturb me in my room," said the man talking about the Gerudos. "My apologies, I haven't formally introduced myself. My name is Barondor, King of the Gerudos."

"I am Link. I am here on behalf of the princess."

Barondor motioned to a chair next to a table. "Please, make yourself comfortable. Now, what seems to be the problem?"

"Well, as I have mentioned before, there have been many of your kind running around Hyrule causing trouble with the locals, as well as travelers. They mainly target the merchants, but they even swindle unsuspecting customers at our markets," explained Link. "I was wondering if, perhaps, we could discuss a way to remedy this little problem."

"Many of our kind…" The words echoed in Barondor's ears. "Our kind… has been having its own problems. Even as Gerudo king, I'm afraid there is not much I can do about the issue."

"Well what kind of problems are you having?" Link was hoping he could find a way to help.

"Well, it is somewhat of a long story. Are you in a hurry?"

Link shook his head.

Barondor walked over to his window and took a deep breath. "Okay then, let me start at the beginning.

"You know that after the goddesses left the planet, they left a mark known as the Triforce. This Triforce is the exact spot where the goddesses left the planet, and it isn't even in this realm. The Triforce is in a realm known as the Sacred Realm, and the entrance to this realm is located in Hyrule.

"As you also may know, the Gerudos are mostly a female tribe, with a male born every 100 years. This male is considered the king of the Gerudos, and everybody treats him as such. We used to have good standing with the Hylians, especially the king, until a man known as Ganondorf betrayed the trust of the king. Ganondorf snuck into the sacred realm and attempted to gain the Triforce, but only succeeded in obtaining the Triforce of power. The other two pieces of the Triforce were scattered. Not satisfied with the Triforce of Power, he searched for the other pieces.

"The other pieces found their way to two other individuals. Ganondorf tried many times to get the three pieces together and use their power to rule the world, or more. A hero wielding the Triforce of Courage constantly thwarted his attempts at domination. Ganondorf practiced dark magic, though, which gave him unnatural long life, and made him very difficult to kill.

"Ganondorf, at times of great anger and strength could summon together the power of the Triforce and his magic to strengthen himself beyond any other. At these times he is referred to as Ganon, and has facial features similar to a boar. Eventually he became so filled with anger that this became his only form, and he renounced his Gerudo heritage and called himself Ganon.

"'Dorf' used to be an extension put on the male Gerudo's name at birth. Shortly after Ganon attempted to take over the world, the Gerudos dropped the f and changed it to 'dor.' The extension dorf had too much history behind it to keep. It hasn't done much to help the foreigners' impressions of us.

"Ganon used his dark magic to turn the Sacred Realm into the Dark World. He resided there for thousands of years. Ganon tried several times to try to obtain all three pieces of the Triforce. The heroes, however, used the Master Sword and Light Arrows to bring him down. Those were only temporary fixes, though. After each loss he would return to the Dark World and regenerate just to return and try again. There was a hero that defeated him for good, however. This hero found the Silver Arrow and used it to destroy Ganon forever. After his defeat, the Triforce eventually found its way back to the Sacred Realm.

"Since Ganon's defeat there has been a strange being known as Vaati causing trouble. This Vaati is still somewhat of an enigma, many still don't even know its name. Some people, though, believe that Vaati is a reincarnation of Ganon. Many others, however, believe Ganon will return through a Gerudo. These people aren't just limited to outsiders. There are some within our tribe that believe the same thing.

"The Gerudos don't like Ganon. He has left the Gerudos hated pretty much everywhere because of his attempts at world domination. When he was finally defeated our tribe was split. Some Gerudos expected his return and refused to hail the new Gerudo as king. These people are damned as outcasts for treason, and are referred to as Rogues. These are the Gerudos that have been causing you trouble. Even with Ganon gone we still suffer the recourse of his actions.

"It's been like this for a while, but lately, there has been many more Gerudos breaking off into Rogues. Many have sensed it, I have, and I am willing to bet you have too. There is a strange feel in the winds, there is an evil stirring up. The Rogues think that I am going to turn against them and go after the Triforce like my ancestor. I believe if Ganon could be reincarnated, then this would be the time of his return. Instead of separating I believe we should prepare, because this may even be worse than Ganon himself."


	14. Chapter 13

_**Legend of Zelda factoid: **Ganon was spelled "Gannon" in the first few Zelda games._

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**Chapter 13**

"So, where do you suggest we start?" Asked Link.

"We? Are you suggesting that both you and I work together?" Barondor asked. He was surprised to see a Hylian willing to work with him.

"Of course, you said we need to work together and start planning, so let's do it," said Link

"Well, we should start off by warning people. Try to convince other countries to train a militia and prepare for anything that may come our way. We should start with Hyrule. They will most likely shun me before I even speak, so having a Hylian with me would be beneficial."

"To say I'm a Hylian is a little misleading. My earliest memories are in Brimtop." Explained Link.

"You're telling me you're a Burman? I don't think so, you seem like a Hylian. Those Burmans are paler, and have rounded ears."

"I've had my doubts as well, but I do not know my ancestry. I don't even know my real parents." explained Link

"Well either way, you look like a Hylian and they should treat you as such," said Barondor. "We should make our way to the princess and speak with her about this matter."

"Way ahead of you on that one. I tried to request an audience with her yesterday, but she won't be back for another week."

"Well… this creates a little predicament. We could also go and try to see the Gorons or the Zora. I don't think that would fare well, though, considering our social standings. A trip like that would be best ventured with the princess."

"So we're stuck." Link didn't like the idea of just sitting around waiting. "We should at least give the Zora a shot. I've heard good things about Zoras."

"Maybe…" Barondor didn't sound too sure of the idea. "Let's rest on it. The day is nearing its end and I'm exhausted."

"Sounds like a good idea to me."

There was only one bed. Link and Barondor weren't too fond to sharing a bed together, so Link offered to sleep on the floor. As he lay down to sleep he thought about what to do next.

The Zora were a water based race and looked somewhat like a fish crossed with a Hylian. They were able to breathe outside of the water as well as inside. The Zora are more of a peaceful race.

The Gorons are very sturdy and strong. They reside near the fiery Death Mountain. They are brown and look almost like rocks. When they roll into a ball they can actually be mistaken for one. They mostly keep to themselves, but aren't too unwelcoming to foreigners.

Link didn't know what to do. He hoped that maybe an answer would come to him in a dream.

--------------------------

"Zelda!" Link's body jolted awake from his deep slumber. _Oh wow, it was just a dream._ Zelda was all he could think about lately, and now she's in his dreams. It was of him saving her from the grips of an evil. He had not had these dreams since a child. Now this giant pig looking creature named Ganon was the evil.

"Wha…what happened?" Barondor quickly woke up to Link's loud wake up call. Barondor's morning voice sounded raspy and even deeper than normal. He was uglier than normal as well.

"Nothing, just sleep talking." Link put his head back on the carpet. This was the most comfortable floor he's ever slept on. He didn't even need a bed. He was just fine in this spot.

"Well damn kid, what's your problem? Haven't you heard? A Gerudo needs his beauty sleep, try not to wake me up again." Barondor quickly fell back asleep on his king sized bed.

Link got up, unable to sleep. He decided to go for a walk to the stables and check on Epona. He walked down the steps of the tower and reached the fresh air. Link knew it was pretty dangerous walking out here alone at night, with the Gerudos and everything. He had his sword and shield and that was enough for him.

Link arrived at the stables and went over to his horse, Epona. He began petting her, thinking about what he should do while he waited for the princess to arrive back from her long trip. It was all too much. There was too much going through his head. With everything that has been happening lately he could barely think.

Link felt Epona start to tense up. "Easy girl, what is it?" Link's words weren't very calming for her. _She senses something._ Link drew his sword and shield and began looking around. Epona began to make some neighing noises and stomping her feet. The horses in the stables next to her all began doing the same. _I think it's time for me to leave._

Right as Link was about to exit the stables the horses all went into an uproar. Epona ran past Link and kicked him, sending him flying into a wall. Link dropped his weapons and fell into the horse's water trough. Then suddenly, through all the horses' running and bucking, the walls gave in and some of the roof collapsed. A large piece of roof fell right on the trough that Link was in.

Link was now trapped inside a trough full of water, with no room for breathing, and a piece of wood too big to move on top of him. Link held his breath as he began pushing and kicking, trying to move or break the roof on top of him. It was no use, he was trapped inside of the trough.

Link's lungs began burning. He couldn't hold his breath for much longer. Link felt the water enter his lungs. He couldn't feel anything anymore. He then saw a small white light. The small white light grew larger, until he was engulfed with white light.

"Link…go to the altar." A woman's voice said, muffled by the water.

Link's body heaved up as he began coughing and gasping for air. That was when he realized he was in Barondor's room and it was morning. Link quickly began composing his thoughts. _Who was that woman?_ _What is the altar?_


	15. Interlude

**Authors note:** Thanks to the comments left by others and the new years I have decided to start the story up again. I apologize for the delay in the series. I typed up a lot of my series that was still in its draft stage. Me, being the intelligent person that I am, decided I would never need to back up my story in case of a tornado, fire, or even worse, a computer crash. Alas, the inevitable happened. I lost a lot of hard work and I lost my fire for writing the story because it felt redundant writing it again. Now that I've had time to clear my mind I can rewrite it with a fresh start and new ideas. So here's hoping for a better storyline. This chapter is just a way to refresh your memory on what has happened so far. It an also act as a marker point for someone who wants the highlights of what has happened without reading the previous chapters.

**Interlude**

A boy, trapped in a hurricane, lost in a blizzard, scorched by the desert. All are analogies which apply to this young one. This boy had no name, just the number 7. As far back as he could remember, he spent his days being treated worse than cattle. A man named Darigan raised this child with several other children, using them in the same manner.

Darigan received a not so friendly visit by the guards of that area and had to flee quickly, nabbing up boy number 7 on his way out. Darigan fled from Brimtop to the legendary countryside, Hyrule. There, he and the boy lived on the outskirts of Castle Town. Princess Zelda's castle was nestled in the back of this town as the name implies.

Upon running an errand at Castle town he ran into princess Zelda. Princess Zelda could tell by his mannerisms that there was something amiss. Zelda soon sent some soldiers out to seize the man Darigan, but alas, they were too late. Darigan made off with the boy once more.

Darigan and the boy rode on a horse through Hyrule Field away from Castle Town, only to come to a screeching halt when their horse came crashing down. The horse ran away, Darigan was knocked out cold, and the boy was stuck defenseless in the chill of the night. It didn't take long for the spider-like Tektites to un-burrow themselves from the ground and surround the boy and the unconscious Darigan.

The boy may have been food for these creatures had it not been for a swordsman by the name of Balthamor. Balthamor took the boy and Darigan to his cabin not too far from a mysterious dark forest. While Darigan was unconscious Balthamor learned of Darigan's evil ways. One small brawl later, Balthamor sent Darigan on his way. The boy was now free from the slavery he was kept in before.

Now the boy was faced with a new challenge, choices. He now had free will, he was given options. He even picked his own name, Link. The new Link was propositioned by Balthamor. Either he could stay and train with Balthamor and grow up to be a great swordsman, or go on his way to Castle Town and become a mild mannered citizen. Link chose to train and be a great swordsman.

Link was now a warrior of the old order, a type of warrior that has long since been forgotten. Donning a green tunic and wielding a sword he set out to the castle to find some work to hone his new skills. He tried to see the princess but instead was given a test to try and settle some escalated thievery brought on by the Gerudos in the adjacent territory. Only then would they take him seriously and let him see the princess.

Winning his first battle of wits, Link obtained a horse and went to go tell his teacher of the new series of events. Link couldn't find Balthamor anywhere. All he found was a note from his old "master," Darigan. Mind set on revenge, Darigan kidnapped Link's teacher and took him to the forest nearby. Darigan was taken under the wing of a witch by the name of Gratilda. Gratilda followed the dark arts and worshipped the King of Evil, Ganon. She passed her teachings down to Darigan, who was imprisoned until he was done with his training. Link had no choice but to leave his teacher in the forest for he was not powerful enough to face the witch and Darigan by himself. All he could do was continue with his task at hand and try to gain the respect of the princess.

Link continued to Gerudo Fortress and received hospitality from their king, Barondor. Unfortunately Barondor was the only one granting him this privilege. The other Gerudos scowled at him with discontent. Barondor informed Link that his power as king was weak at best. Their old king, Ganondorf, had put a bad taste on everybody's tongues and diminished the integrity of the Gerudo king. Barondor's mind wasn't on the rise in Gerudo bandits, however. He was concerned about something different, something sinister, something dark. An unknown force could be smelled in the winds, and whatever it was he knew it wasn't going to be nice.

After a short talk they decided it would be best to rally people together in alliances and be ready to take it down no matter how big it may be. Unsure of where to start, they decided to go to sleep and refresh their minds. Link, restless from everything that had happened, took a walk down to his horse, trying to find some peacefulness next to her under the stars. Suddenly, in an unprecedented uproar of all the horses in the stables, he was knocked down into a trough and the roof fell on top to trap him inside. He had completely run out of breath when he heard a woman's voice muffled by the water saying, "Go to the altar." Link jolted up suddenly in Barondor's room coughing and wheezing, leaving him with two important questions: _Who was that woman? And what is the Altar?_ But even more baffling than that is how he ended up in Barondor's room.

And so the legend continues...


	16. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Everything happened so fast, Link didn't know what was going on. His lungs were burning and he was still coughing, but he wasn't in the trough anymore and he wasn't wet. _Did someone save me?_

Barondor woke up to Link's sputtering. In a morning daze, he wasn't sure what was going on either, he just knew someone woke him up.

"Wha…What happened?" Barondor sat up rubbing his eyes, which were still adjusting to the morning sunlight.

Link had already controlled his cough, "Nothing, just sleep talking again."

"Well damn kid, what's your problem? Haven't you heard? A Gerudo needs his beauty sleep." Barondor laid his head back on his pillow, trying to get rid of the morning grogginess.

Link recognized that line. "Didn't you say that last night?"

"What are you talking about, son?" Barondor began wondering about Link's sanity.

"When I woke up last night, you said the exact same thing." Now Link began to wonder about Barondor's sanity.

They stared at each other quietly for a few moments trying to figure out what the other one was talking about.

"Forget about it." Link broke the silence. "I have a different question. Do you know what 'the Altar' is?" Link saw the pupils in Barondor's eyes shrink.

"How do you know about the altar?" Barondor was now more confused than Link was.

"Well, I might as well tell you the whole story. None of it makes sense anyways." Barondor sat up on his bed as Link explained the series of events that occurred with the horse, the trough, and the lady's voice.

After the story Barondor couldn't help but give a thundering laugh at all the confusion. "Ah, you Hylians, you had a premonition my boy. You guys have a real knack for that kind of stuff it seems. You can rest assured, you are a Hylian."

"So that means I'm going to drown in a trough? That's not very funny." Link seemed worried.

"Well I don't know about translating these things, you'll have to find someone for that," said Barondor. "But you can't always take these things literally, they can be metaphors. In the mean time, though, I wouldn't go wandering into any stalls at night."

"Okay, but what is this 'Altar?' You literally reacted to that one." Link's little pun was intended.

"Hm, it's not something we talk about a whole lot to outsiders. Considering the circumstances I can make an exception." Said Barondor. "The altar is basically the meat and potatoes of our tribe. As you know, our tribe is composed mainly of females with a male born every 100 years. The Altar is how we continue to procreate. The Gerudos have to pass a trial in order to make it to the Altar. Only the strong make it through this trial as it is filled with peril. Upon reaching the Altar, the Gerudo prays to the goddess Farore, the goddess of life. The woman is then blessed with a child nine months later. The child is female of course until the 100th year, which we refer to as the Centinia. The woman who gives birth to the male child is deemed the Guru and knowledge is passed down from the old Guru to the new one."

"Wow, I had no idea." Link began feeling overwhelmed with all the new information he had been obtaining the last few days.

"Not many people do. As I said, we keep it to ourselves. Others do not understand it, and if they understood the power of the Altar they may try and take it from us. They could obviously never reach it, but they would wage war on us thinking that they could."

"Why could they never reach it?"

"Because it is a trial designed for Gerudos. If someone non-Gerudo were to go in I've no idea what would happen. Non-Gerudos are forbidden to even step foot in there. So I don't know how you expect to reach the Altar."

"Does this Guru know what would happen if I attempted the trial?" Asked Link.

"There's only one way to find out. Get your gear and let's go."

They gathered their items and began walking. Link was struck by the heat and dryness of the desert as they exited Barondor's tower. He wasn't used to this kind of climate. He quickly got his bearings. He saw the cold stares of the Gerudos, just looking for a sign of weakness.

"Let me tell you what to expect," said Barondor as they walked towards her house. "She has some… unsightly physical features about her. She may be nearly blind, but she can still sense your reactions. So just prepare yourself before hand… Here it is."

They arrived at a stone building that looked like the rest except for an eye to the right of the door. They walked into the room and Link saw what Barondor was talking about. Her eyes were a cloudy white and she stared straight ahead even as they walked in. Her green skin boiled out in some places and was discolored in others. Her fingers were unnaturally long and boney, and her finger nails came to a sharp point like no others he's ever seen. Half of her red hair had already fallen off, Link even saw one fall off right before him.

"Greetings children. Come in and rest your…" The Guru stopped in mid sentence. She raised her head and took a big sniff with that large nose of hers. "You brought a Hylian with you Barondor. Why is this?"

Link cleared his throat before Barondor could say anything. "I would like to speak for myself. My name is Link. I am here because I seek passage to your trial."

The Guru gave a little chuckle, it was very dry and raspy. You 'seek passage?' Why talk to me like I'm an Elder? I am old enough to be your sister."

Link was a little surprised.

"Yes, giving birth to the male has its advantages. Like the gift of sight and knowledge. But my physical features diminish quickly I'm afraid. Worry not though, adolescent. I can still live a full life, it's just a tad more difficult.

Link rubbed the back of his neck, a little unsure how to reply to that. "I'm sorry," Was all he could muster.

"Again, don't worry about it. We have a much more important issue at hand; you want to enter the trial, correct?"

Link nodded. He forgot for a second she was visually impaired, but she still knew he nodded and continued talking before he could correct his mistake.

"You already know it is forbidden for anyone other than Gerudos to step in there. You also know by going in there you risk your life. If the Goddess doesn't approve of you going in there she may smite you right there on the spot." The Guru rocked back and forth as she talked and looked around random spots of the room, never looking in Link's direction.

"I am fully aware of the risks at hand. I have to do it. I don't know why, I just have a feeling," stated Link.

The Guru gave a raspy grunt. "You think you're sounding courageous, but it just sounds foolish. You're playing with your life young one, leave now and live long. If you want to gamble get some rupees, this is not the way."

Link just stayed silent. He knew he didn't have to say anything.

"You feel strongly about this," said the Guru. "I suppose I can't stop you, but the fortress will. Can you climb up our houses? The trial is straight up to the top of our fortress. How do you expect to get up there?"

"I'll find a way," he replied. Link knew she was right. He had no way to get to the top of one of the buildings, let alone the top of the fortress.

"So that's it? You currently can't reach the top but you will 'find a way.' Doesn't sound like you have much of a plan." The Guru's voice was a little condescending.

"Well it's the best I got. You know what they say, if there's a will there's a way. I do not back down from a challenge that easily." Stated Link. "Now, if we're done here I have some work ahead of me."

Link turned around and began to walk out the door.

"Wait!" The Guru stopped him. He turned around and looked at her. "There is something strange about you." She continued. "I can't put my finger on it, but you just may be destined for great things. I may not be able to see you in the normal sense, but I can see your aura. You have an aura that is comforting. You have something with you that you have yet to discover. Pay attention to it, for it will aid you in your quest... I also have something that can aid you." The Guru glanced around a little bit as if looking for something. "In the corner of my room there is a chest, open it up, you can keep what is inside."

Link didn't say anything. He looked at Barondor who had his back against a wall. Barondor motioned him towards the chest. Link slowly walked to the chest and opened it up. Inside he saw a device, his jaw dropped in awe. He knew instantly what it was based on texts given to him by Balthamor.

The Guru gave a slight grin, "That device, young one, is the hook-shot."


	17. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

**_Clink. Clink. Clink. Clink._ **The sound of clanking armor could be heard over the noisy pub. Most of the people paid no mind to the extra large man walking in. Strange people come in all the time just stopping by for a quick brew. This man, however, scared some people straight out of the pub almost instantly.

The man was completely suited up in plate mail armor from head to toe. No part of his body was exposed. Even his eyes seemed to be mostly covered except for a narrow slit in his helm. He carried on his back two enormous swords. Any normal man would need two hands to hold each one, if he could hold it at all. This man only needed one. He also had a long thick chain wrapped across his chest a few times with a large spiked ball on the end of it which he hooked to his waist side.

He moved slowly through the pub as he made his way to the bartender. His huge feet shook the floor as he walked. He stared straight ahead at his destination and looked nowhere else. A man ran into him by accident and fell flat on his back. The armored man was un-phased, staring straight ahead.

The bartender stood motionless waiting for the armored man, afraid to serve anyone else until this man was completely satisfied enough to get out. The armored man approached the bartender.

"Where's Kokiri Forest?" He asked. His voice was deep and hollow. It didn't even echo in the armor he wore.

"Uh…um, j…just head northeast until you r…reach the town Impa, then head north." The bartender's voice shook so badly he was almost unable to talk.

The armored man was on his way out when a man having one too many drinks came up and put his arm around what he could of this mini giant.

"Hold up." The drunk said, slurring his words horribly. "That….Kokiri Forest, it's not Kokiri Forest anymore. That's gone, bye bye, woo. It's the Dark Woods now. That dirty... WITCH kicked those wonderful Kokiri out. But she's going to get hers you watch and see."

"And who's going to give it to her? You?" Said the armored man very calmly in his deep, low voice.

The bartender stepped up and tried to take control of the drunk man. "I'm sorry sir, this guy has had too much to drink. I'll remove him right now." Said the bartender leading the drunk out the back door.

The drunk wiggled his way out of the bartender's arms to get one last word in. "You know what? That's a good idea. I'm going to kill that witch and any of her friends with my own bare hands!"

"Is that so…" Replied the armored man

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_This is the hook-shot._ Link remembered his training at level 1, he learned about this weapon. It's very rare due to its difficulty to make. This high tech weapon shoots into a wall and allows you to pull yourself up to high places. There even exists a laser so you can aim where you want to go with precision. Link had never seen one in real life. It had a handle on the back end of it with a large pyramid shaped metal piece on the other side of it, which essentially was the hook. In the middle was a large round cylinder where the chain and shooting mechanism rested. While holding the handle Link saw three buttons on the side of it within thumbs reach, and one more button on the cylinder.

Link pushed the button he saw on the cylinder first, the hook quickly shot open into three triangular pieces and rested flatly like a claw, with each "finger" of the "claw" evenly spaced about 120 degrees from each other. The tips of the three triangles had sharp metal pieces extruding from it. In the center was a hard, yet sticky substance and in the center of that was a tiny hole where the laser rested.

Link never heard about this little claw feature, maybe someone created a more efficient version of the hook-shot. Normally the hook-shot just penetrated itself to soft areas and dug itself in so the user could pull himself up. It appears now, with this one, he can attach to even hard surfaces. The sticky substance was flat and round, he's never seen anything like it. He was smart enough not to touch it even though his curiosity wanted him to.

Link practiced with the hook-shot. He learned the uses of the three other buttons. One of them activated the laser when Link pressed it lightly, then when Link held it down it shot the chain out. Once in the desired spot he let go of the button and it stopped the mechanism. Once the hook hit the desired spot it either dug itself in or clamped down, depending on if it was in "hook" or "claw" form. Another button reeled in the chain, so he could reach the spot it was hooked into. This needed to be held too, if he wanted to pause the process, however, he just simply let go of the button. The third button released the grip of the hook, discharged the sticky substance and finished reeling in whatever chain was left. He also learned that he could reel in items with it from a distance. After the claw strikes an item it clamps shut, allowing link to reel it in.

After some practice Link decided it was time for him to attempt the trial. He made it up the first building fairly easy. He used his right arm for the hook-shot so his left arm could hold him up while he released the hook-shot's grip and positioned his right arm to pull himself up. The next ones however were a little more difficult. There was a narrow gap, just a little wider than the width of Link's body, at the top of each building. They built the buildings far enough from the edge of the previous one just so someone could jump up there, not much more. This didn't give him much of an angle to stick the hook-shot on these hard surfaces. He found himself having to jump off of the building and then hook the device before he fell. The buildings soon turned into just giant stone blocks, and looked like they were put there simply for the purpose of making it difficult just to get to the trial itself. Once he got to the blocks they began to sort of pyramid themselves up to the final spot.

Link made it to the top. He looked down and got a little nauseous from the height. He could almost see over the top of the fortress. If he wanted to he could hook-shot up to the very top of this place and look across the lands of Hyrule, but it wasn't worth the trouble. Instead he shifted his gazes towards a large iron door. _This must be it. There's no turning back now._ Link thought to himself as he began to walk into the trial.


End file.
